✓ | LOVE DRUNK ↺ TOM HIDDLESTON

↳ 03. IRL

VALERIA RUSHED ONTO SET with Taika's beloved Starbucks drink in one hand while she carried her own in the other. She made sure to wait until the scene was over before she walked up to her boss with a soft smile and glasses covering her eyes. "Here ya go, boss." she extended her arm to hand him his drink.

Taika grinned wildly, his eyes sparkling with amusement with her choice of eyewear. "Thanks Val, and hey, having fun with your hangover?" he took his drink as the woman stuck her tongue out at him, feeling her head pound ten times harder with the noises around her.

"You can choke," she pouted at him as she adjusted her sunglasses on her face. "And no, no I'm not."

"Thank god, I'd be worried if you were enjoying it. Because hello! Why the hell would that shit be fun?" he rolled his eyes and then took a sip from his cup. A big smile came over his face, looking at the woman in front of him. "S'mores frappuccino! A wonderful choice."

"Ah, so that's what they gave me." Valeria chuckled, taking a small sip from her drink. "I just told them to surprise me. My daughter is usually the one that orders everything when we go there."

"That's right! You have a daughter! What's her name?"

"Fiona,"

"Omf, that's must be fun eh?" Taika chuckled.

Valeria shrugged with a small grin on her lips. "It's definitely been an adventure."

Taika grinned and then looped his arm around hers, beginning to pull her away from the scene and over to where the snacks were. "I believe I'm suppose to introduce you to the stars of the movie."

She inwardly groaned, but grabbed a blueberry muffin from the basket and sighed. "Might as well." she winced at an explosion going on in the background and clung onto her boss as they passed by many people. Val wasn't in the mood to really meet anyone, but she could try to give them small smiles.

"I'm telling you Chris, I didn't mean to punch you in the face."

"Mhm, sure Tessa. It's like I haven't heard that before or anything."

"I really didn't! Forgive me!"

"Hey assholes!" Taika yelled once they entered a blue tent, making Val punch him in the shoulder because she knew he was doing it out of spite of her hangover. "I've got someone for you guys to meet!"

"Tone it down, asswipe." Val grumbled as she rubbed her temples, trying to sooth the pain in her head.

A dark skinned woman with white lines over her face laughed. "Oh gosh, I love her already."

"Where's Tom, Mark and Cate?" the director asked.

"I think they went back to makeup." a man with an Australian accent and long dirty blonde hair replied.

"What a bunch of divas." Taika grumbled but shrugged. "Their loss," the director brought Valeria up front to the woman's dismay and smiled widely. "But anyway, I'd like you to meet my assistant, Valeria Aries."

"Hello," she waved at them and then removed her sunglasses wincing at the brightness outside.

"I'm Chris Hemsworth and that's Tessa Thompson." the man with long hair put his hand out for her while the woman with white lines over her eyes smiled. "It's good to have you on the team, Valeria."

Val nodded and gave them a light smile as she shook his big hand. "It's good to be here." then she shook hands with Tessa who embraced her in a hug because why the hell no.

"I find hugs so much more efficient." Tessa chuckled before releasing the hungover woman. "And I hope your hangover gets better."

"Take that Taika! At least someone has some sympathy for me!" she smirked at her boss who jus rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. Cool beans, Val."

If Valeria could she would put her hands on her hips and stare down the man, but she opted to take a big bite out of her muffin and sip her drink while glaring at Taika. "I regret taking this job."

"And I regret hiring you." he chuckled before turning away. "Now I must go, I have a movie to direct. And you Mr. Hemsworth and Miss. Thompson have some lines to say."

"That's our cue," Chris chuckled as they walked away, but looked over his shoulder and waved towards Val. "Bye now!"

"It was lovely to meet you!" Tessa called out before herself and Chris exited the tent, leaving Valeria to herself.

The woman munched on her muffin, sighing at her headache and opened her purse to look for something to ease her pain. As she searched her purse, someone entered the tent behind her, but she was too busy to look up. When she finally found a pill she popped it in her mouth and sipped her drink, sighing out of relief.

"Sorry, I didn't know someone else was in here," a man with a British accent lacing his words apologize. "I was looking for Chris and Taika-"

"It's fine," Valeria said as she sipped her drink. "They went to film with Tessa and such." she took another bite of her muffin and turned around to find a man with long black hair dressed in green robes. And through her mouthful of food, her face red as she mumbled out, "Hello,"

Tom stared at Valeria in shock, his eyes widening slightly with his mouth agape. "Val?"

"That is my name. Wait- how did you know that? Is Taika telling everyone now-" Val covered her mouth as she chewed, looking at the man curiously even though she was quite confused.

He chuckled softly and looked down as he bit her lower lip before looking back up at the woman. "Actually we've already met. You went into my Uber by accident."

With big eyes, she gasped feeling her cheeks grow redder with every passing second. "Tom?"

"In the flesh," he grinned and cocked his head to the side slightly, "Your Taika's new assistant?"

"And you're starring in his new movie." she chewed on her inner cheek. "Small world."

"Yeah," Tom breathed out with a small grin as he stared at the woman in front of him, utterly amazed that they would meet again. "it is a small world."

☆☆☆

my ship is so cool ah

but what's their ship name? i can't come up with one rn so maybe if you guys have any, that would be great!

this story is coming along smoothly yay!